WINDSOR 6/162 (48 overs) 6 POINTS
drew with
BEACONSFEILD 7/209 (52 overs) 13 POINTS
Windsor played host to Beaconsfeild on Saturday and the fresh in their minds was the pummelling they received 10 weeks earlier from the same side. Desperate for the same embarrassment not to occur again, Windsor placed great importance on this fixture and went into the game with a cautious attitude.
Windsor however lost the toss and Beaconsfeild decided to bat on a very batsmen friendly wicket. It was not until the 10th over, Windsor got the breakthrough via Nichols in the form of 2 wickets in two balls to leave Beaconfeild 2/35.
It was tough going for the quicks as Beaconsfeild batsmen kept the score ticking, courtesy of some great running between the wickets.
Just after the drinks break Mohindru was introduced and this lead to another couple of wickets, but Windsor could no put the breaks on the oppositions run flow as Sutner in particular kept rotating strike.
Mohindru eventually picked him up for 70, Harris then picked up the dangerous Alexander and Windsor looked to have Beaconsfeild well contained to within 200. Beaconsfeilds tail wagged however and some great shots from Owen, Sullivan and Farnham meant that their side cruised to 209 in the 52nd over.
On a belter of a wicket, Windsors bowlers done well, in particular Nichols (3/29 off 14 overs) and Mohindru (3/31 off 14 overs). they where very shabby in the field in the field at times. A worrying trend for the skipper in recent weeks, and something that must be amended.
The target was within Windsors reach, but they needed someone in the top 4 to stand up and play a big knock if they where to achieve it, similar to Sutners performance earlier in the day.
That however was not to be, as Windsor ended up at 4/86 after 23 overs. Charters (12) was caught at 2nd slip trying to run one down to the 3rd man boundary, Bird (37) was caught at cover, Nair (4) followed the same fate and Chorley (11) was adjudged LBW.
It was then left to Nichols and Riches to try and salvage something from the innings. Riches (17)played some aggresive shots, but was LBW to a Taylor inswinger after the drinks break.
Murray (3) could not stem the flow of wickets either as he fell by the wayside, so it was left up Malloch and Nichols, who having bowled 32 of the sides 52 overs between them, to salvage the game.
Both withstood some fine bowling from Sullivan and Owen to negotiate the remaining 12 overs, and picked up some valuable bonus points reaching 150, before pulling Windsor to safety. Nichols finished on 28* and Malloch in a fine cameo reached 31*
The lack of any real partnership outside of Nichols and Malloch was the key to Windsor being unable to really challenge the visitors total. In saying that, Owen and Sullivan who with Wilson bowled very well to restrict the home side and from this come level on the Division 2A table.
Windsor travel to Finchampstead next week, which is a very happy hunting ground. Bowling first, Windsor have went through the home side in the last 2 visits over there since 2006, and with an extra seamer in Richard Gregory selected in the side, are looking to do more of the same.